Results 3,101-3,120 of 19,162 for speaker:Alan Shatter

Written Answers — Criminal Prosecutions: Criminal Prosecutions (18 May 2011)

Alan Shatter: In the time available it has not been possible for the Garda authorities to provide a report on the matters raised by the Deputy. I will be in further contact with the Deputy as soon as that report is to hand.

Written Answers — Witness Intimidation: Witness Intimidation (18 May 2011)

Alan Shatter: Section 41 of the Criminal Justice Act 1999 makes it an offence to harm or threaten or in any other way intimidate or put in fear another person who is assisting in the investigation by An Garda Síochána of an offence, or is a witness or potential witness or a juror or potential juror in proceedings for an offence, or a member of his or her family, with the intention thereby of causing the...

Written Answers — Organised Crime: Organised Crime (18 May 2011)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 169 and 171 together. The issues referred to are of great complexity for which there are no easy solutions short of isolation for all prisoners in custody. Clearly this is undesirable, would be counterproductive in many cases and would also be incompatible with human rights principles. As a result of a number of successful cases taken by An Garda Síochána,...

Written Answers — Prison Committals: Prison Committals (18 May 2011)

Alan Shatter: I can advise the Deputy that a total of 431 persons were committed to prison in the time-frame referred to, as a result of the non-payment of a court ordered debt. It is not possible to provide the full information requested by the Deputy without the manual examination of the numerous records concerned and obviously this would require a disproportionate and inordinate amount of staff time...

Written Answers — Judicial Appointments: Judicial Appointments (18 May 2011)

Alan Shatter: There are three judicial vacancies at present; two in the High Court and one in the District Court. The current procedures are set out in the Courts and Court Officers Act, 1995. In accordance with the provisions of section 16(2) of that Act, I have requested the Judicial Appointments Advisory Board to furnish me with the names of those persons it considers suitable for the current...

Written Answers — Garda Communications: Garda Communications (18 May 2011)

Alan Shatter: All radio communications within An Garda Síochána are carried out over the National Digital Radio System (NDRS) which provides a modern and fully secure communications platform for An Garda Síochána. The roll-out of the NDRS to the Garda Síochána commenced in June, 2009. The last phase of the roll-out of the system was completed in March 2011.

Written Answers — Garda Reserve: Garda Reserve (18 May 2011)

Alan Shatter: I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that the personnel strength of the Garda Reserve on 30 April 2011, the latest date for which figures are readily available, was 761.

Written Answers — Garda Strength: Garda Strength (18 May 2011)

Alan Shatter: I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that the total number of females in An Garda Síochána, broken down by rank on 30 April 2011, the latest date for which figures are readily available, was as set out in the table hereunder: Rank Strength Commissioner 0 D/Commissioner 1 A/Commissioner 0 C/Superintendent 4 Superintendent 12 Inspector 25 Sergeant 296 Garda 3,093 Total 3,431

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (18 May 2011)

Alan Shatter: The Short-Stay Visa Waiver Programme provides for visa-free travel to Ireland for the holders of UK visas from certain countries. The Waiver Programme is aimed at people on short trips to the UK who might wish to also visit Ireland and it is expected to cover mainly tourists and business people from the countries concerned. It is also intended to introduce procedures which could cater for,...

Written Answers — Prison Commitals: Prison Commitals (18 May 2011)

Alan Shatter: As the Deputy will be aware debt is a civil matter and does not result in a criminal conviction. The Enforcement of Court Orders (Amendment) Act 2009 introduced a provision that a debtor cannot be subject to a committal order if he or she is simply unable to pay a debt. This legislation also provides that the debtor must be present in court; he or she is entitled to seek legal aid; the court...

Written Answers — Naval Service Vessels: Naval Service Vessels (18 May 2011)

Alan Shatter: The position is that the previous Government decided in the context of settling the Estimates for the Department of Defence for 2010 that the national sail training scheme operated by Coiste an Asgard would be discontinued as recommended in the Report of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure. As a result, the sum of €3.8m representing the insured value of Asgard II was...

Written Answers — Naval Service Vessels: Naval Service Vessels (18 May 2011)

Alan Shatter: Following a two-stage tender competition a contract was awarded in October 2010 to the preferred bidder, Babcock Marine in the UK for the provision of two new Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) for the Naval Service. Preparations for the construction of these new vessels have commenced and the first new vessel is scheduled for delivery in early 2014. The second vessel will follow one year later....

Written Answers — Irish Red Cross: Irish Red Cross (18 May 2011)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 181 to 184, inclusive, together. My Department is engaged in consultations with the Office of the Attorney General on the extent of changes that can be made to the Irish Red Cross Order 1939. Following receipt of legal advice from the Office of the Attorney General, which is expected in the coming weeks, I will review the legislative changes that are proposed...

Written Answers — Irish Red Cross: Irish Red Cross (18 May 2011)

Alan Shatter: As I indicated in my recent answer to a similar question (PQ No. 8253/11 refers), my Department has been informed of the resignation, for personal reasons, of one of the previous Government's nominees to the Central Council of the Irish Red Cross Society. I am now considering how this vacancy might be filled and I will make a decision on the matter shortly.

Written Answers — Army Barracks: Army Barracks (18 May 2011)

Alan Shatter: Longford County Council have expressed some interest in acquiring Connolly Barracks. Discussions with the Council are ongoing with officials from my Department. In the event of these discussions not reaching a satisfactory outcome this property will be disposed of taking account of the market conditions, so as to maximise the return to the Defence Forces and generate funding for reinvestment...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (18 May 2011)

Alan Shatter: The total gross provision for the Defence Vote (Vote 36) for 2011 is €725.5m. €1.5m in respect of capital supply services was also carried over from 2010 to 2011. The gross provision in the Defence Vote for military expenditure is €694.9m, which provides for pay and allowances and capital and current costs relating to the Defence Forces. The Defence Vote also includes an administrative...

Written Answers — Defence Forces Equipment: Defence Forces Equipment (18 May 2011)

Alan Shatter: Investment in new equipment for the Defence Forces is provided for under various Subheads of the Defence Vote relating to defensive equipment, mechanical transport, aircraft, Naval Service ships and stores, communications and Information Technology equipment. The provision for defensive equipment for 2011 will allow, inter alia, for the acquisition of a range of equipment, e.g. Chemical...

Written Answers — Religious Cults: Religious Cults (19 May 2011)

Alan Shatter: The Deputy will appreciate that the word 'cult' is a chameleon-hued word that may gets its colours in any given context from the subjective views of the speaker, and that there are no clear, specific, manageable, and universally accepted criteria for identifying cults. In our constitutional democracy, as the Deputy knows, we have a firm constitutional guarantee, in Article 44, of freedom of...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (19 May 2011)

Alan Shatter: An application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to in the Deputy's question was received in the Citizenship Section of my Department in August 2004. On examination of the application it was determined that the person concerned did not meet the statutory requirements as set out in the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended. A letter informing the...

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (19 May 2011)

Alan Shatter: I can inform the Deputy that my Department provides funding to the following three courses at third level institutions: 1 - Course Title - Diploma in Justice Studies This is a learning initiative developed by the Department for its staff in conjunction with the Institute of Public Administration (IPA). National Qualification Framework Level This is not accredited. However, with the...